Cross River State Police command has arrested a suspected serial killer,
Cyril Ojang Etim, 25, who had been wanted by the police over series of
unexplained deaths in the state.
He was picked by detectives attached
to the state Criminal Investigation Department days after he allegedly
beheaded one Ubong Asuquo who caught him stealing N4000 from his house
at old Netim, Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State.
In the course of investigation, it was discovered
that he was also responsible for the death of his ex-lover, Esther. He
admitted to have killed her when he discovered that Esther, who was two
months pregnant, had an abortion.
On his arrest, the state
Commissioner of Police, Mr. Henry Fadairo told Saturday Sun that he had
received several reports of the activities of Etim especially from
relatives of victims that were either raped or murdered.
He
explained that the manhunt was intensified when it was confirmed that
the suspect beheaded his colleague, one Ubong Asuquo. “When the news of
his arrest broke, several persons came forward alleging that he either
raped or stole from them.”
Investigation also revealed that
sometime in 2012, the suspect was caught trying to strangulate one of
his victims. Not aware that he had become a serial rapist and a killer,
the community flogged and asked him to go home and sin no more.
“Also
in 2013, he confessed to have killed his lover because she had an
abortion. He was arrested then and charged to court. He was later
released by a chief judge in 2014, when his name was submitted as those
who appeared to have repented,” CP Fadairo said.
The police boss
further said that unrepentant Etim continued in his former trade of
robbery. “On February 27, 2015, he visited the house of the late Asuquo
and stole his N4000. Unfortunately for him, Asuquo caught him red handed
and chased him with a cutlass. Both ended up in the bush and Etim over
powered him, picked up the cutlass and beheaded Asuquo. A passerby who
witnessed the incident rushed to the nearest police station and reported
the matter,” Fadairo added.
At the police station, Etim told
Saturday Sun that he believes that he was under a spell. “I do not know
what could be wrong with me. I normally recover my senses as soon as I
have committed a crime. It all started in 2010 after my 20th birthday. I
discovered that my love for women increased. I do not have money but I
wanted to have sex. If any woman tries to resist me, I will force her to
have sex with me.
“I have been caught severally but because I
have an innocent face, people will blame the women for seducing me.
Unfortunately, in 2013, my lover Esther told me that she was pregnant. I
was already dreaming that I will become a father at a young age when
she came back a week later and told me that she had an abortion. I was
devastated and out of anger, beat her to death,” he said.
On
realising his mistake, Etim handed himself over to the police. “I was
arrested and charged to court. Honestly, I had repented from my sins and
gave my life to Christ. I was well behaved, that is why the prison
authority submitted my name to the Chief Judge. She was the one who
approved my release.
“When I was finally released in 2014, the
devil took over my life again. I went back to the same crime. I was very
broke and since I knew the late Asuquo, I decided to sneak into his
house and get some money. The first time I stole N3000 and was not
caught. I went back three days later and was about to collect the N4000
that I saw in one of his drawers when he saw me. He shouted and picked
his cutlass. I ran as fast as I could but he came after me. I knew that
he would kill me, that was why I fought back. I had no choice but to
kill him. I never knew that someone saw us.
“I am willing to go
to prison because it appears that I am stable inside there. I know that I
have committed a lot of atrocities but I am begging the families of my
victims to forgive me because I want to make heaven”, Etim pleaded.
